Online Japanese courses
These online Japanese courses will expand your career prospects, all from the comfort of your own home.
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Always dreamed of speaking Japanese with ease and confidence? In a world that's rapidly expanding in online education, it's now easier than ever to study Japanese with quality institutions right at home.
Whether you want to learn the language to get by during a trip to Japan, easily chat with friends or gain formal qualifications in Japanese, keep reading for details on where to find a suitable course and potential career opportunities.
Where can I find Japanese courses online?
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What Japanese courses are available online?
Short courses
Study Japanese at all levels for your own individual needs with these short courses.
| COURSE | INFORMATION | INSTITUTION |
|---|---|---|
| Online Japanese Beginners Course | Course length: 5.5 hours plus self study Subjects covered: Writing and pronunciation of Japanese hiragana and katakana and Japanese pronunciation. | Udemy |
| Japanese Language Crash Course | Course length: 38 mins on demand video + self study Subjects covered: Common Japanese greetings, introductions, ordering food at a restaurant. | Udemy |
| Delicious Japanese Language for Foodies | Course length: 2.5 hours of on demand video + self study Subjects include: Japanese phrases for ordering food, Japanese cooking, Japanese conversation. | Udemy |
| Understanding Japan: A Cultural History | Course length: 12 hours Subjects include: Japan through ancient myths, aspects of the Japanese language, early Japanese Buddhism, Japanese poetry. | The Great Courses |
| Japanese Course - Beginner and Intermediate | Course length: 10 sessions. 25 hours total. Subjects include: Basic greetings, talking about hobbies, talking over the phone, giving directions, using hiragana, katakana and kanji. | University of Sydney |
| Japanese E-Learning Courses (A1 - A2 level) | Course length: 10 weeks / 5 lessons every 2 weeks. Subjects include: Food, home, daily life, towns, shopping, family, seasons and weather. | Japan Foundation |
| Introductory Japanese | Course length: 18 weeks Topics include: Basic hiragana, basic statements and questions, describing things and people and katakana. | Open Universities |
| Japanese Language 1A | Course length: 16 weeks Subjects covered: Participating in simple conversations, reading and writing, Japanese society and culture. | Open Universities |
| Japanese Language 1B | Course length: 16 weeks Subjects covered: Simple conversations, Reading and writing and Japanese society and culture. | Open Universities |
| Online Group Classes - Japanese | Course length: varies Subjects covered: Japanese reading, writing and speaking. | Nunawading Japanese School |
| Japanese Lessons | Course length: Varies Subjects covered: Japanese vocabulary, speaking, listening, reading and writing. | Listen & Learn Australia |
| Online Japanese Courses - All levels | Course length: Varies Subjects covered: Japanese vocabulary, grammar, speaking, listening, reading and writing. | Japanese Australia |
Certificates
Take your passion for Japanese and build a career with these certificate courses.
| Course | Information | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate II in an Applied Language (Japanese) | Course length: Varies Subjects covered: Social proficiency in reading, writing and spoken language | Vocational Language Learning Centre |
| Certificate III in an Applied Language (Japanese) | Course length: Varies Subjects covered: Intermediate proficiency in reading, writing and spoken language | Vocational Language Learning Centre |
| Certificate in Social Proficiency (Japanese) | Course length: Varies Subjects covered: Social proficiency in reading, writing and spoken language | Vocational Language Learning Centre |
| Certificate in Intermediate Proficiency (Japanese) | Course length: Varies Subjects covered: Intermediate Communication Skills III, Fluency in Reading and Writing Skills III, Cultural Awareness Skills III. | Vocational Language Learning Centre |
| Certificate in Vocational Proficiency (Japanese) | Course length: Varies Subjects include: Intermediate Vocational Skills IV, Vocational Reading and Writing Communication Skills IV. | Vocational Language Learning Centre |
Diplomas
If you want to add further qualifications to your undergraduate degree, consider studying a diploma in Japanese. These courses can allow you to enter fields such as interpreting, translating and the travel industry.
| Course | Information | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| Diploma in Languages: Japanese | Course length: 1 year full time / 2 years part time. Subjects include: Japanese in informal and formal contexts, Japanese speaking, listening and reading and writing. Career prospects: Commercial industries, education, journalism and language translation. | University of Newcastle University of Melbourne |
| Diploma in Modern Languages: Japanese | Course length: 1 year full time / 2 years part time Subjects include: Proficient oral/aural, reading and writing skills in Japanese, Inter-cultural and cross-cultural issues. Career prospects: Policy and planning manager, public relations professional and intelligence and policy analyst. | Open Universities |
Bachelor's degrees
For extensive Japanese studies that can lead to some exciting career opportunities in careers such as teaching, international business and the defence force, a bachelor's degree majoring in Japanese will open many doors for you.
| Course | Information | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Languages: Japanese | Course length: 3 years full time / up to 10 years part time. Subjects include: Japanese Language 1A to 3B, Cultural expression in modern Asia, introduction to Japanese language in society. Career prospects: Advertising, marketing and public relations, education and international relations and diplomacy. | University of New England |
| Bachelor of Arts: Japanese major | Course length: 3 years full time / up to 10 years part time. Subjects include: Japanese grammar, literature, art and history. Career prospects: Diplomacy, media and publishing, cultural advisor, tourism and travel consultant. | Curtin University University of Wollongong Macquarie University |
Who should take an online Japanese course?
Learning Japanese is useful for anyone who wants to work in the fields of international business and trade, tourism, translation and interpreting.
If you have a fascination with Japan and Japanese culture, studying Japanese can certainly be rewarding and stimulating.
An online Japanese course can give you the communication skills you need to expand your social circle and create opportunities to work in Japan or with Japanese companies.
What topics may be covered in an online Japanese course?
An online Japanese course can cover all the key skills you need to write, read and speak Japanese. A typical course will cover the following:
- Grammar
- Vocabulary
- Listening comprehension
- Reading comprehension
- Writing skills
- Pronunciation
- Japanese culture
- Speaking Japanese with role plays and conversations
- Japanese history
How long does an online Japanese course take to complete?
An online Japanese course can range from short courses of five lessons to university degrees that require three years of full-time study or more.
A standard term of Japanese classes runs for around 10 weeks. However, if you take a self-paced course, you can study during your own time and at your own pace.
It takes some time to develop your language skills so you can reach higher levels. This will vary depending on your goals and your own approach to learning.
What are the career opportunities after taking an Japanese course?
Learning Japanese can create a path to a career in international relations and to being a translator for companies. Here are just some of your career prospects:
- Translation
- Interpreting
- Japanese teacher
- Immigration officer
- Journalist
- Flight attendant
- Travel agent
- Market research
- Import/export coordinator
- Logistics coordinator
- Japanese-English customer service representative
- Contract writer
- Media sales associate
What equipment and software will I need?
The great thing about studying a language online is that you can do it from anywhere with just a computer or laptop and a stable Internet connection.
In many cases, you'll also need to download video conferencing software such as Skype, Zoom or Google Hangouts. You'll find out which software to use when you sign up for your course.
When studying a university degree online, all of your course content will be available on the university platform.
See the latest deals for online Japanese courses
Deal
Up to 70% off Japanese language courses
Get up to 70% off Japanese language courses. Available for beginner and intermediate courses, crash courses, and more. T&Cs apply.
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